We systematically analyze the decays $B_{(s)}\to D_{(s)}(V^{*}\to )VP$, where $V^{*}$ represents a vector resonance ($\rho$, $\omega$, or $K^{*}$), and $VP$ denotes the final-state meson pairs $\omega \pi$, $\rho \pi$, and $\rho K$. The intermediate subprocesses $B_{(s)}\to D_{(s)}{V}^{*}$ are calculated in the factorization-assisted topological-amplitude approach, while the intermediate resonant states $V^{*}$ are modeled using a relativistic Breit-Wigner distribution, subsequently decaying into $VP$ through strong interactions. We predict the off-shell effects of the ground-state resonances ($\rho ,\omega ,K^{*}$) in $B_{(s)}\to D_{(s)}(V^{*}\to )VP$. Our results show that the virtual contributions from $\rho \to \omega \pi$, $\omega \to \rho \pi$, and $K^{*}\to \rho K$ are crucial for these three-body decays, $B_{(s)}\to D_{(s)}VP$. In particular, the branching fractions arising from the $\rho$ and $\omega$ virtual effects can be comparable to the total decay rates of $B_{(s)}\to D_{(s)}\omega \pi$ and $B_{(s)}\to D_{(s)}\rho \pi$, respectively. Decays with branching fractions of order ${10}^{-6}–{10}^{-4}$ are expected to be measurable at Belle II and LHCb. Compared with previous perturbative QCD predictions for $B_{(s)}\to D_{(s)}(\rho \to )\omega \pi$, our results are consistent but exhibit higher precision.

Motivated by the possible 95 GeV diphoton excess, we investigate the capability of the Type-I two-Higgs-doublet model (2HDM-I) to explain this signal under current theoretical and experimental constraints. Using full Monte Carlo simulations for the process of $pp\to t(\to W^{+}b)\overline{t}(\to W^{-}\overline{b})h(\to \gamma \gamma )$, we evaluate the discovery potential of a 95 GeV Higgs boson at future colliders. Direct Higgs searches strongly constrain the parameter $\alpha$, excluding the region with $\alpha \lesssim 0.95$. Monte Carlo results indicate that a minimum cross section of 0.3 fb is required to achieve a $5\sigma$ signal statistical significance at the high-luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) with $L=3{\mathrm{ab}}^{-1}$. For the same luminosity, high-energy LHC (HE-LHC) and future circular collider-hadron-hadron (FCC-hh) require 0.67 fb and 2.36 fb, respectively. At the 14 TeV HL-LHC with an integrated luminosity of $3{\mathrm{ab}}^{-1}$, parameter regions with $\sin (\beta -\alpha )\gtrsim 0.4$ and $\sin (\beta -\alpha )\gtrsim 0.25$ can be probed at the $5\sigma$ and $2\sigma$ significance levels, respectively. At the 27 TeV HE-LHC with $L=10{\mathrm{ab}}^{-1}$, the sensitivity improves to $\sin (\beta -\alpha )\gtrsim 0.25$ ($5\sigma$) and $\gtrsim 0.15$ ($2\sigma$). For the 100 TeV FCC-hh with $L=30{\mathrm{ab}}^{-1}$, even regions with $\sin (\beta -\alpha )\gtrsim 0.1$ or $\sin (\beta -\alpha )\lesssim -0.05$ can be covered at the $5\sigma$ level. Parameter regions near $\sin (\beta -\alpha )\approx 0$ remain challenging to probe in the diphoton channel, even with increased energy or luminosity.

Searches for high frequency gravitational waves using cavities based on the Gertsenshtein effect were recently proposed, building off existing axion dark matter experiments. In particular, the sensitivity of axion dark matter experiments using metamaterial plasmas (tunable plasma haloscopes) to gravitational waves has not been explored in detail. Here we perform a full analysis of gravitational wave detection in plasma haloscopes, showing that the baseline design of experiments such as ALPHA is several orders of magnitude less sensitive than previously thought. We show how simple changes to the experiment can recover that sensitivity and lead to a powerful gravitational wave detector in the $\mathcal{O}(10–50)\mathrm{GHz}$ frequency range.

We present a new equation of state for QCD in which the temperature $T$ and the three chemical potentials for baryon number ${\mu }_B$, electric charge ${\mu }_Q$, and strangeness ${\mu }_S$ can be varied independently. This result is based on a generalization of the $T^{\prime }$ expansion scheme, thanks to which the diagonal ${\mu }_B$ extrapolation was pushed up to a baryo-chemical potential ${\mu }_B/T\sim 3.5$ for the first time. This considerably extended the coverage of the Taylor expansion, limited to ${\mu }_B/T<2.5–3$. As a consequence, we are able to offer a substantially larger coverage of the four-dimensional QCD phase diagram as well, compared to previously available Taylor expansion results. Our findings are based on new continuum estimated lattice data on the full set of second- and fourth-order fluctuations.

We employ the renormalization group optimized perturbation theory (RGOPT) resummation method to evaluate the equation of state (EoS) for strange ($N_f=2+1$) and nonstrange ($N_f=2$) cold quark matter at next-to-leading order. This allows us to obtain the mass-radius relation for pure quark stars and compare the results with the predictions from perturbative QCD (pQCD) at next-to-next-to-leading order. Choosing the renormalization scale to generate maximum star masses of order $M=2-2.6M_{\odot }$, we show that the RGOPT can produce mass-radius curves compatible with the masses and radii of some recently observed pulsars, regardless of their strangeness content. The scale values required to produce the desired maximum masses are higher in the strange scenario since the EoS is softer in this case. The possible reasons for such behavior are discussed. Our results also show that, as expected, the RGOPT predictions for the relevant observables are less sensitive to scale variations than those furnished by pQCD.

A metric on the space of collider physics data enables analysis of its geometrical properties, like dimensionality or curvature, as well as quantifying the density with which a finite, discrete ensemble of data samples the space. We provide the first systematically-improvable precision calculations on this dataspace, presenting predictions resummed to next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy, using the spectral energy mover’s distance (SEMD) as its metric. This is accomplished by demonstration of factorization of soft and collinear contributions to the metric at leading power and renormalization group evolution of the single-scale functions that are present in the factorization theorem. As applications of this general framework, we calculate the two-point correlator between pairs of jets on the dataspace, and the measure of the non-Gaussian fluctuations in a finite dataset. For the non-Gaussianities, our calculations validate the existence of a universal structure that had been previously observed in simulated data. As by-products of this analysis, we also calculate the two-loop anomalous dimension of the SEMD metric and show that the original energy mover’s distance metric is identical to the SEMD through next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy.

We study the semileptonic decays of ${\mathrm{\Xi }}_b^{{(}^{\prime })}\to {\mathrm{\Xi }}_c^{{(}^{\prime })}\ell {\overline{\nu }}_{\ell }$ in all lepton channels. To do this, we first obtain the form factors defining these decay modes within the framework of QCD sum rules. Then, using the transition form factors, we compute the decay widths and branching fractions for all lepton channels and compare the results of our calculations with those obtained from other theoretical methods. We also estimate the branching ratios and the ratio of branching fractions at different leptonic channels to provide useful information for future experiments may be planned at different colliders. Such comparison will provide valuable information about the consistency/inconsistency of the Standard Model theory predictions with experimental data in weak semileptonic single heavy baryon decays.

Masses, magnetic moments, and color-spin structures of nonstrange and strange tetraquarks with two heavy quarks are systematically studied in a QCD string picture with a chromomagnetic interaction. Our mass computations, combined with weak and radiative decays, indicate that there are two doubly heavy tetraquarks, the bottom-charmed tetraquark $T_{cb}(7173,01^{+}{)}^0$ and the doubly bottom tetraquark $T_{bb}(10406,01^{+}{)}^{-}$, that are stable against strong decay, having lifetimes of 0.069 and 326 fs, respectively. Magnetic moments are also computed and are found to be sensitive to chromomagnetic mixing of the color-spin configurations of these tetraquarks, making them a valuable probe to experimentally detect the nontrivial color configuration $6_c\otimes {\overline{6}}_c$.

The ambitious physics program planned for the Future Circular Collider electron-positron phase imposes stringent constraints on detector performance. This study systematically investigates how different detector configurations impact jet flavor identification and their effects on high-profile physics analyses. Using Higgs boson coupling measurements and searches for invisible Higgs decays as benchmarks, we evaluate the sensitivity of these analyses to variations in tracker and calorimeter detector properties. We examine modifications to single-point resolution, material budget, silicon layer placement, and particle identification capabilities, quantifying their effects on flavor-tagging performance. Additionally, we present the first comprehensive study of Higgs-to-invisible decay detection using full detector simulation, providing insights for optimizing detector designs at lepton colliders.

The application range of perfect spin hydrodynamics is studied in two cases: one based on the classical spin description and the other using a quantum spin density matrix (Wigner function). Different forms of the conditions connecting the components of the spin-polarization tensor, particle mass, temperature, and hydrodynamic flow are introduced, and their mutual relations are explained. The results obtained are important for practical applications of spin hydrodynamics to model heavy-ion collisions.

We calculate cross sections for the production of different neutron classes $0n0n$, $0nXn+Xn0n$ and $XnXn$, possible to measure in Zero Degree Calorimeters (ZDCs), associated with photon-photon scattering in ultraperipheral collisions (UPC) of lead on lead. The calculations are performed for the ATLAS kinematics. Our calculations for neutron classes are tested against existing data for ${\rho }^0$ production in UPC. We get a good agreement for absolute cross section as well as very good results for fractional cross section which gives confidence to the analogous calculation for diphoton production, corresponding to $\gamma \gamma \to \gamma \gamma$ scattering. We present both absolute as well as fractional cross sections for the different neutron classes. We also show different distributions in impact parameter, photon rapidity, transverse momentum, diphoton invariant mass, and photon rapidity difference. The shapes of the photon distributions depend on the neutron classes which we quantify in this paper. It would be valuable to test our predictions using the ATLAS main detector and the ATLAS ZDCs.

Non-Abelian toroidal heterotic orbifolds have received comparatively little attention, mainly because of the significant computational challenges they pose, even at the level of computing their matter spectrum. Similarly, the SO(32) heterotic string remains relatively unexplored. In this paper, we provide some useful tools to handle this situation. We find that certain non-Abelian orbifolds can be studied using the techniques that are common to Abelian compactifications. In such cases, we show how to compute the gauge groups and massless matter spectrum for non-Abelian orbifolds of the SO(32) heterotic string with standard embedding. A general feature of these constructions is the reduction of the rank of the gauge group. Our findings motivate further research on non-Abelian orbifolds with nonstandard embedding, where realistic, rank-reduced models are expected to emerge.

We conduct the first full Bayesian inference analysis for LISA parameter estimation incorporating the effects of subdominant harmonics and spin precession through a full time domain response. The substantial computational demands of using time domain waveforms for LISA are significantly mitigated by a novel Python implementation of the IMRPhenomT family of waveform models and the LISA response with GPU acceleration. This time domain response alleviates the theoretical necessity of developing specific transfer functions to approximate the LISA response in the Fourier domain for each specific type of systems and allows for the use of unequal-arms configurations and realistic LISA orbits. Our analysis includes a series of zero-noise injections for a massive black hole binary with aligned and precessing spins. We investigate the impact of including subdominant harmonics, compare equal and unequal-arm configurations, and analyze different time-delay-interferometry (TDI) configurations. We utilize full and uniform priors, with a lower frequency cutoff of 0.1 mHz, and a signal duration of approximately two months, sampled every 5 seconds. The sampler is initialized based on Fisher’s estimates. Our results demonstrate LISA’s capability to measure the two spin magnitudes and the primary spin tilt angle, alongside sky localization, with percent-level precision, while component masses are determined with subpercent accuracy.

Using gravitational waves to probe the geometry of the ringing remnant black hole formed in a binary black hole coalescence is a well-established way to test Einstein’s theory of general relativity. However, doing so requires knowledge of when the predictions of black hole perturbation theory, i.e., quasinormal modes (QNMs), are a valid description of the emitted gravitational wave as well as what the amplitudes of these excitations are. In this work, we develop an algorithm to systematically extract QNMs from the ringdown of black hole merger simulations. Our algorithm improves upon previous ones in three ways: it fits over the two-sphere, enabling a complete model of the strain; it performs a reverse search in time for QNMs using a more robust nonlinear least squares routine called varpro; and it checks the variance of QNM amplitudes, which we refer to as “stability,” over an interval matching the natural timescale of each QNM. Using this algorithm, we not only demonstrate the stability of a multitude of QNMs and their overtones across the parameter space of quasicircular, nonprecessing binary black holes, but we also identify new quadratic QNMs that may be detectable in the near future using ground-based interferometers. Furthermore, we provide evidence which suggests that the source of remnant black hole perturbations is roughly independent of the overtone index in a given angular harmonic across binary parameter space, at least for overtones with $n\lesssim 2$. This finding may hint at the spatiotemporal structure of ringdown perturbations in black hole coalescences, as well as the regime of validity of perturbation theory in the ringdown of these events.

We present here a new hybrid scheme that combines a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method with compact finite volume (FV) and finite difference (FD) methods. The computational mesh is divided into smaller elements that touch but do not overlap. Like a pure DG method, our new hybrid scheme requires information exchange only at the surface of neighboring elements. This avoids the need for ghost zones that are usually many points deep in traditional FV implementations. Furthermore, unlike traditional FV implementations, that require information exchange between each element and its 26 surrounding neighbors on noncuboid meshes, our new hybrid method exchanges information only between each element and its six nearest neighbors. Through this reduction in communication, we aim to retain the high scalability of DG when using large supercomputers. In addition, the information exchange between adjacent elements is much simpler than in a traditional FV implementation, because we always have grid points at the interface, so that only surface interpolation is required. As a result it is much easier to implement adaptive mesh refinement. The goal is to use DG in elements with smooth matter fields and to fall back onto the more robust FV/FD method in elements that contain nonsmooth shocks or star surfaces. For this we devise trouble criteria to decide whether an element should be evolved with DG or FV/FD. We use the nmesh program to implement and test the new scheme. We successfully evolve various single neutron star cases. These include the challenging cases of a neutron star initially in an unstable equilibrium migrating to a stable configuration and a boosted neutron star. These cases are simulated for the first time here in full 3D with general relativistic hydrodynamics using DG methods. We also describe additional numerical methods, such as the limiters and the atmosphere treatment we need for our simulations.

The nonlinear gravitational-wave (GW) memory effect—a permanent shift in the GW strain that arises from nonlinear GW interactions in the wave zone—is a prediction of general relativity which has not yet been observed. The amplitude of the GW memory effect from binary-black-hole (BBH) mergers is small compared to that of primary (oscillatory) GWs and is unlikely to be detected by current ground-based detectors. Evidence for its presence in the population of all the BBH mergers is more likely, once thousands of detections are made by these detectors. Having an accurate and computationally efficient waveform model of the memory signal will assist detecting the memory effect with current data-analysis pipelines. In this paper, we build on our prior work to develop analytical time-domain and frequency-domain models for the dominant nonlinear memory multipole signal ($l=2$, $m=0$) from nonspinning BBH mergers in quasicircular orbits. The model is calibrated for mass ratios between one and eight. There are three parts to the time-domain signal model: a post-Newtonian inspiral, a quasinormal-mode-based ringdown, and a phenomenological signal during the late inspiral and merger (which interpolates between the inspiral and ringdown). The time-domain model also has an analytical Fourier transform, which we compute in this paper. We assess the accuracy of our model using the mismatch between our waveform model and the memory signal computed from the oscillatory modes of a numerical-relativity surrogate model. We use the Advanced LIGO sensitivity curve from the fourth observing run and find that the mismatch increases with the total mass of the system and is of order ${10}^{-2}–{10}^{-4}$.

This paper investigates resonant neutrino self-interactions in cosmology by employing, for the first time, the effective field theory of large-scale structure to model their impact on the matter distribution up to mildly nonlinear scales. We explore a broad range of mediator masses in two main analyses; one combining BOSS full shape (FS) galaxy clustering with big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN), and another combining FS with Planck cosmic microwave background (CMB) data. Our results place the strongest cosmological constraints to date on the resonant self-interactions when using $\mathrm{FS}+\mathrm{Planck}$ data, reaching up to $g_{\nu }<10.8\times {10}^{-14}$ at 95% confidence for the 1 eV mediator. Notably, $\mathrm{FS}+\mathrm{BBN}$ can constrain the interaction for the 10 eV mediator independently of CMB data, yielding $g_{\nu }<7.33\times {10}^{-12}$ at 95% confidence. Our results suggest that resonant neutrino self-interactions are unlikely to resolve existing cosmological tensions within the standard $\mathrm{\Lambda }\mathrm{CDM}$ framework.

Recent results from type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), in combination with cosmic microwave background (CMB) measurements, have focused renewed attention on dark energy models with a time-varying equation-of-state parameter, $w(z)$. In this paper, we describe the simplest, physically motivated models of evolving dark energy that are consistent with the recent data, a broad subclass of the so-called thawing scalar-field models that we dub $w_{\varphi }\mathrm{CDM}$. We provide a quasiuniversal, quasi-one-parameter functional fit to the scalar-field $w_{\varphi }(z)$ that captures the behavior of these models more informatively than the standard $w_0{w}_a$ phenomenological parametrization; their behavior is completely described by the current value of the equation-of-state parameter, $w_0=w(z=0)$. Combining current data from BAO (DESI data release 2), the CMB (Planck and ACT), large-scale structure (DES year-3 $3\times 2\mathrm{pt}$), SNe Ia (DES-SN5YR), and strong lensing ($\mathrm{TDCOSMO}+\mathrm{SLACS}$), for $w_{\varphi }\mathrm{CDM}$, we obtain $w_0=-0.904_{-0.033}^{+0.034}$, $2.9\sigma$ discrepant from the $\mathrm{\Lambda }$ cold dark matter ($\mathrm{\Lambda }\mathrm{CDM}$) model. The Bayesian evidence ratio substantially favors this $w_{\varphi }\mathrm{CDM}$ model over $\mathrm{\Lambda }\mathrm{CDM}$. The data combination that yields the strongest discrepancy with $\mathrm{\Lambda }\mathrm{CDM}$ is $\mathrm{BAO}+\mathrm{SNe}$ Ia, for which $w_0=-0.837_{-0.045}^{+0.044}$, $3.6\sigma$ discrepant from $\mathrm{\Lambda }\mathrm{CDM}$ and with a Bayesian evidence ratio strongly in favor. We find that the so-called $S_8$ tension between the CMB and large-scale structure is slightly reduced in these models, while the Hubble tension is slightly increased. We forecast constraints on these models from near-future surveys (DESI-extension and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory LSST), showing that the current best-fit $w_{\varphi }\mathrm{CDM}$ model will be distinguishable from $\mathrm{\Lambda }\mathrm{CDM}$ at over $9\sigma$.

Magnetic fields regulate black hole (BH) accretion, governing both inflow and outflow dynamics. When a BH accumulates substantial vertical magnetic flux, it enters the magnetically arrested disk (MAD) state, where dynamically important fields power jets and trigger disk eruptions. We investigate MAD evolution when the BH spin and disk angular momentum are misaligned, a likely scenario in many BH systems. Using numerical simulations, we show that jets from rapidly spinning, prograde BHs realign the inner disk via the magneto-spin alignment mechanism for initial tilts up to $\mathcal{T}\lesssim 60°$. Larger tilts lead to intermittent jets that disrupt the disk out to $r\gtrsim 100$ gravitational radii, creating hot cavities and magnetized filaments. These episodic jets form a mini–feedback loop and may explain quasiperiodic X-ray and radio flares observed in low-luminosity active galactic nuclei. We also find that (i) BH spin and disk tilt influence the amount of magnetic flux accumulated at the horizon, and (ii) large-scale, thick, misaligned accretion flows do not exhibit sustained Lense-Thirring (LT) precession. This suggests that slowly accreting BHs ($\dot{M}\ll {10}^{-3}{\dot{M}}_{\text{Edd}}$) are unlikely to show lightcurve quasiperiodic oscillations from LT precession, consistent with observations. Instead, magnetic flux eruptions drive jet wobbling and lateral motion, offering an alternative explanation for phenomena such as the M87 jet’s apparent precession and rapid swings in blazar jet orientation.

We reconsider a thought experiment that employs the entanglement of the gravitational field with position space quantum states as a means for faster-than-light signaling. We present a protocol that includes the excitation to a higher internal energy level to increase sensitivity to gravitational phase shifts. We report that the explanations why previous versions of the thought experiment remain causally consistent are insufficient to avoid any possibility for faster-than-light signals in this case. An alternative resolution to prevent faster-than-light signaling is most reasonably the requirement for a (near) relativistic treatment. One such effect could be a decoherence channel unobserved in a nonrelativistic treatment.